Vending-machine.



J. SCHMIDT.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1908.

909,689. I Patented Jan. 12,1909.

3 SHEETfl-SHEET 1.

J. SCHMIDT.

VENDING MAOHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1908.

909,689, Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. SCHMIDT.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2a. 1908.

909,689, Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- JOHN scams, onis'r. LOUIS, inssoum, ASSIGNOR To UNrrnn STATES PATENT onrron.

INTERNATIONAL VENDlNG MACHINE courtes or ST. Louis, MIssoUni, A coRPoRArr'IoN OF MIssoU'iiI'.

' V NDING-Madame,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

' Application filed May 23, 180 8. Serial No. 484,456.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SCHMIDT, a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri,

have invented a new and useful Improve-- difi'erent denominations.

The invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawin which forms part of this specification, an wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sec tion of a cigar vending machine embodying my invention, showing the parts in their normal positions and an insertible element or coin 1n operable position upon its seat; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the' lun er partially actuated and the inserti le e ement or coin moved to actuate the releasing mechanism; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken at right angles to the line of section of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical crosssection of a modified arrangement of the machine; Fig. 5 is a fra mentary vertical cross-section'at ri ht ang es to the line of section of Fig. 4; ig. 6 is a vertical crosssection of another modification of the machine; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical crosssection taken at right anglesto the line of section of Fig.6; and, Fi 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8-8 0 Fig. 6.-

The present vending machine comprises a housing 1 in which .the feed and delivery mechanisms and the main portions of the actuating mechanism are mounted. The main frame upon which these parts are mounted comprises a base portion 2 and'side members 3 preferably made of a single plate of heavy sheet metal. The several shafts hereinafter mentioned are journaled in the side members of the frame.

The delivery mechanism referably comprises a hollow cylindrical sli shaft 5 which is journaled in side plates 3. This cylindrical shell is preferably made of wheel.

ell 4 fixed to a sheet metal and has longitudinal depressions or pockets 6 formed in the periphery thereof of sufficient size to accommodate a cigareor such other article as it may be desired to deliver. Each of the depressions has a yielding or resiliently mounted false bottom 7 Above said delivery mechanism is the mechanism (not shown) for feeding the cigars into the delivery cylinder. 7 This feed mechanism is preferably of the type more fully shown and described in the specification forming part of my co-pending application No. 398,408 for Letters Patent therefor, and

it is considered unnecessary to describe it in detail.

On the shaft of the delivery cylinder is a star Wheel 8 against the periphery of which bears a roller 9. This roller is mounted on a spring-pressed pivoted arm 10 which is mounted on a side plate of the frame. By this arrangement, the roller on the springpressed ,arm permits the cylinder to turn when sufiicient force is applied thereto, but centers or positions the cylinder by a quick or snap actionwhen the apex of the tooth of the star wheel passes under the roller. By this arrangement, the initial movement of the cylinder out ofregister with the throat of the feeding device is effected slowly, while the latter stage of the movement is a snap action that rapidly brings a pocket of the cylinder into register with the throat of the feed hopper.

On the shaft of the delivery cylinder is fixed a ratchet wheel 11 Whose teethare equal in. number to the number of pockets of the delivery cylinder. This ratchet wheel is located on the end of the shaft opposite that on which the star wheel is mounted. Pivotally mounted on the end of the shaft of the'delivery cylinder adjacent to the ratchet Wheel is an arm 12 whose outer end is slotted o'r bifurcated to straddle a'pin 13 provided therefor on the main actuatin plunger 14 of the machine. Mounted on this pivotal arm 12 is a spring-pressed pawl 15 adapted to cooperate with the teeth of said ratchet In trder to secure a lost motion to permit the-plunger to, move some distance before the awl will actuate the ratchet wheel, theallowing arrangement is employed: The plunger 14 is located at some distance below the shaftof the delivery cylinder and is arran-fidao move horizontally.

of the ratchet wheel, whereupon the further movement of the plunger and its connected parts causes said pawl to actuate said ratchet wheel and through it the delivery cylinder. On the shaft of the delivery cylinder adj a cent to said ratchet wheel is a disk 16 whose periphery has one or more notches 17. Pivotally mounted on the end plate of the frame is a lever 18, one end of which has an upturned tooth or projection 19 arranged to ride on the periphery of said disk and to V enga e the notches in said periphery and end thereof from the notchin the periphery there y lock the disk against rotation. The other end of said lever rests in a notch or socket 20 provided therefor in a member 21 which is mounted on the end plate of the a frame and arranged to reciprocate vertically.

The lower end of this. member is pivotally connected to a pivotal dog 22 which lies a short distance above a coin trap or seat 23 which constitutes the lower end of the coin chute 24. The inner end of the plunger let terminates slightly forward of this coin seat and back of said coin seat is a passageway 25 through which the coins are expelled. When a coin of the proper dimensions is inserted into the coin chute, it will pass through and'come to rest on the coin seat or trap. 'If the actuating plunger is now pushed inwardly, it "will press the coin against the dog 22 of the releasing mechanism and will lift the same and the member 21, with the result that the end of the lever 18 will be raised. If the lever 18 is actuated far enough to disengage the upturned of, the disk, the turning of the shaft will carry the unnotched portion of said disk above the end of said lever and thereby prevent the relocking of the device until the next notch comes into register with the upturned end of the locking lever. While the" disengaging movement is occurring, the actuating plunger has turned the pivotal arm 12 on which the actuating pawl is mounted far enough to permit its pawl 15 to engage a tooth of the ratchet wheel 11 onthe shaft of said delivery cylinder. The further move.-

, ment of the actuating plunger \causes the ratchet teeth to initiate the, movement of the cylinder, and the final movement of the cylinder is effected with a snap action by t e strong spring ofthe centering device.

the denomination of the coin. For this purpose, the distance from the coin seat to the lower end of the pivotaldog 22 to which the vertically movable member 21 of the locking device is connected, is less than the diameter of the coin, and'the arms of the lever 18 are so proportioned with relation to the movement of the .dog and vertically movable member caused by the coin passing thereunder, that the upturned portion of said lever 18 is withdrawn just far enough from the notch in disk 16 to clear the periphery thereof. The plunger 14 is restored to normal position by a spring-pressed oscillatory arm 26 which is pivotally mounted near the base 2 of the frame of the machine and has a bifurcated end portion which straddles the pin 13 on said plunger 14.

'livery cylinder 4 is provided with six pockets and the ratchet wheel is also provided with a like. number of teeth, it is obvious that the delivery mechanism can be actuated three times in succession, which is just onehalf of the number of pockets, because the disk 16 may be rotated a half-turn before a notch is moved into position to be engaged by the upturned portion of the lever 18.

This construction provides for the delivery of three cigars or other articles for a single coin. Obviously, other numbers may be providedfor, as for example, by providing three equidistant peripheral notches in the disk two articles may be delivered for a single coin. So, too, by providing a single notch, six articles may be delivered for a single coin. Other combinations may be readily provided for just so long as the number of pockets in the delivery cylinder is a multiplelof the number of notches in the disk and of the number of articles to besold.

' In some cases it is desirable to vend difl'erent quantities of cigars or other articles from.

a single source for difierent denominations of coins. To this end, provision is madein a modification of the machine shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this construction and arrangement two coin chutes are provided, one each for coins of two different denominations. For example, one chute 27 may be provided for a dime and the other 28 for a quarter of a dollar. In this case, the articles will be vended one for a dime and three for a quarter of a dollar. Preferably, the two chutes 27 and 28 are arranged side by side and both terminate in separate coin traps or seats 23 near a common pawl or dog 22 of the releasing mechanism. The parts of the releasing mechanism are similar to those hereinbefore described with the exception that the dog 22 is wider so as to span across the ends of the two coin chutes. In this modification, the disk 29 corresponding to the disk 16 is loosely mounted on the shaft 5 of the delivery cylinder. This disk is resiliently held in frictional engagement with a fixed disk or collar 30 on said shaft 5, by a spring 31 which surrounds said shaft and is interposed between said loosely mounted disk and the side frame. The actuating mechanism comprises a double plunger 14, each of its members being provided for the respective coin chutes 27 and 28. In order to permit both plunger members to pass under the dog 22 when lifted by the smaller coin, the inner end portions of the plunger members are preferably reduced to a width a little less than the diameter of the coin. The operation of this modification of the machine is somewhat similar to that of the hereinbefore described machine, with the exception that the upturned portion of the lever 18 is not moved entirely out of the notch in the disk 29 when the releasing mechanism is actuated by the smaller coin. That is, the smaller coin only lifts the dog 22 high enough to clear the end of the plunger 14, and as the upturned portion of the lever 18 is not disengaged from the notch in the disk 29 said disk being'loosely mounted on the shaft of the delivery cylinder, the cylinder is permitted to be actuated one distance of one pocket to the next, and upon the return stroke of the plunger, the releasing mechanism will be restored to normal position, and the machine cannot be operated until another coin is inserted. When the larger coin is inserted the releasing mechanism is actuated sufliciently to withdraw the upturned portion of the lever 18 entirely from the notch in the disk 29. The disk 29 so released from engagement with the lever will turn with the delivery cylinder shaft upon the actuation thereof owing to the friction engagement between said disk 29 and the fixed disk 30. The delivery mechanism may be actuated until a notch in the disk 29 is moved into position to be engaged by the lever 18.

In Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, a further modification of the machine is shown. In this construction and arrangement three coin chutes 32, 33 and'34 are provided for coins of three different denominations. For example, the chutes may be made to accomstep or the modate a half dollar, a quarter dollar and a dime, so as to vend six articles for'aahalf,

three for a quarter and one fora dime. In

this case, three separate coin traps or seats and a triple plunger member are provided. As in the modification just described for the coins of two denominations the dog 22 is made wide enough to span across the ends of all three of the coin chutes. On the shaft '5 of the delivery cylinder are two loosely mounted disks 35 and 36 which are resiliently held in frictional engagement with their respective fixed disks 37 by springs 38 and 39, respectively. The disk 35 is provided with two diametrically opposite notches, and the disk 36 which is larger in diameter is provided with but. a single notch. The notch in the larger disk 36 is as deep as the bottom of the two notches in the smaller disk. The lever 18 .has an offset upturned portion 40 which is long enough to span across both disks 35 and 36' and is adapted to engage the notches ofboth disks. When the smallest coin is inserted the releasing mech- 1 anism will not be actuated far enough to release the portion 40 from either of the notches in the disks, but will permit the de- I livery cylinder to be actuated one step or the distance from one pocket to the next, whereupon the releasing mechanism is restored to normal position. When the middle size coin is inserted, the releasing mechanism is actuated far enough to move the portion 40 of the lever 18 from the notch inthe smaller disk 35 but not from the notch in the larger disk 36. This permits of three successive actuations of the delivery mechanism before theother notch is moved into position to be engaged by the portion 40 6f the lever 18, and whereupon the'releasing mechanism is restored to-normal position. When the largest coin is inserted, the releasing mechanism is actuated far enough to move the portion 40 of the lever 18 entirely from the notch in the larger disk 36 thus permitting of six 'successive actuations of the delivery mechanism or one revolution of the delivery cylinder before the notch is returned to a position to be engaged by the portion 40 of the lever 18.

Obviously, the machine admits of considerable modification without departing from my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. A vending machine comprising a delivery cylinder having a plurality of peripheral pockets therein, mechanism for feeding articles into said pockets and manually operable mechanism operatively connected to said feed mechanism to actuate the same, a ratchet wheel on the shaft of said cylinder, an arm pivotally mounted on.said shaft and operatively connected to said actuating mechanism to be actuated thereby, a spring pawl mounted on said arm and normally bearing inoperatively against the periphery of said wheel and adapted by the shifting of said arm to be brought into operative engagement with a tooth of said wheel, a disk fixed to the shaft of said cylinder and having peripheral notches therein, a locking member adapted to cooperate with said. notches and means whereby said locking member may be disengaged from said notches through the instrumentality of an insertible element.

2. A vending machine comprising a delivery cylinder having a ratchet wheel on the shaft thereof, a manually operable plunger, an arm'pivotally mounted on said shaft and operatively connected to said plunger to be actuated thereby, a spring pawl mounted on said arm, a disk fixed to the shaft of said cylinder and having notches therein, a locking member adapted to cooperate with said notches, and means whereby said locking member may be disengaged from said notches through the instrumentality of an insertible element during the initial movement of said plunger, said pawl being inoperative relative to said ratchet wheel during the initial movement of said plunger and arranged to cotiperate with a tooth thereon to actuate said cylinder during the further movement of said plunger.

3. A vending machine comprising a shaft having thereon a ratchet wheel, a disk and a delivery cylinder,-said disk having a number of notches'in its periphery and said cylinder having'peripheral pockets whose number is some multiple of the number of said notches, a manually operable plunger, an

- arm mounted on said shaft and operatively connected to said plunger to be actuated ery cylinder having a plurality of eripheral ockets'therein, mechanism for ceding artic es into said pockets and manually op-- erable mechanism operativelyconnected to said cylinder and to said feed mechanism to actuate the same, a peripherally notched disk'frictionally mounted on the shaft of said cylinder, a locking member adapted to cooperate with said notched disk and means whereb said locking member may be disengaged rom said notches through the imam mentality of an insertible element.

5. A vending machine comprising a shaft 7 having thereon a delivery cylinder having peripheral pockets, a ratchet wheel and a disk, said disk being frictionally fastened on said shaft to permit the turning thereof independent of said disk and having a notch in its periphery, a manually operable plunfor transmitting movement of different extent from said plunger to said locking mechanism. i v- 6. A vending machine comprising a delivery cylinder having a plurality of peripheral pockets therein, mechanism for feeding articles into said pockets, and manually operable mechanism operatively connected to said cylinder and to said feed mechanism to' actuate the same, a peripherally notched disk frictionally mounted on the shaft of said cylinder tb permit said cylinder to turn independently of said disk, and locking mechanism having an element adapted to cooperate with the notch of said disk, and a seat adapted to hold detachable and insertible elements of different sizes belowsaid locking mechanism and in the ath of said actuating mechanism where y the movement of the actuating mechanism is transmitted to said locking mechanism distances var ing with the sizes of the detachable and insertible elements, and the lockingmechanism being so arranged that the disk-engaging member is disengaged only by the greater movement.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 19thday of May, 1908.

- J OHN SCHMIDT. Witnesses:

' G- A. PENNmGTofN,

J. B. MneowN. 

